BEIJING, Jan. 29 – Local governments will raise minimum wage levels as soon as next month from 10 to 12 percent given the recovering economy and rising inflation.

Beginning next month, Jiangsu Province will increase minimum wage levels  from RMB850 to RMB960, the same level Shanghai and Hangzhou. Beijing will soon follow suit with a 10 percent increase in minimum wages to RMB880 per month by April 1 reports The Global Times.

Zhejiang and Sichuan Province are mulling over raising minimum wage rates as well Chongqing, Guangzhou and Dongguan city. Around the country, minimum wage rates are pegged from RMB580 to RMB1,000 depending on the area.

Last year, China froze minimum wage rates because of the global financial crisis that led many export businesses to close down because of declining demand. Figures from 2009 show that this trend may be getting better with China announcing 8.7 percent GDP growth for the period and December exports rising by 17.7 percent after more than a year of decline.